


The Tudors, Season 3, Episode 5, Problems in the Reformation

by TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer



Category: The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Analysis, Episode Review, Episode: s03e05 Problems in the Reformation, Meta, Nonfiction, Season/Series 03, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:55:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25888447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer
Summary: Warning: Contains spoilers for the episode and the rest of the series. Complete.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	The Tudors, Season 3, Episode 5, Problems in the Reformation

Open to Henry grieving by Jane’s tomb.

In a marketplace, the title-card declares it London 1538.

Excuse me, show, but I have an objection. Jane died in 1537. If the show wanted to a time-jump, fine, but baby Edward would, at least, be crawling by this point.

A hooded man stops another man. It’s established the other man is a friend of Cromwell’s. Killing Cromwell’s friend, the hooded man flees.

At the castle, Cromwell and a man talk about his friend’s death. The murderer hasn’t been caught, and the man wonders why Cromwell’s friend was targeted. Cromwell thinks it was to send him a message.

It turns out this man is an employee of Charles Brandon’s, and he guesses Cromwell suspects it was either his employer or Gardiner. Cromwell answers, “I don’t speculate.”

He continues there are dark forces at work both inside and outside of the court. Until such dark forces and what they want can be identified, they need to focus on finding Henry a new wife. The man asks about Henry, and Cromwell answers Henry is only allowing one person to see him.

The next scene has Henry and his fool, Will Sommers, talking. Will shows he’s unafraid of Henry by pointing out Jane died giving Henry his son and Catherine was cruelly abandoned. Then, he brings up the one whose name escapes him, just as her head escaped her body. Heh.

Although, it seems, historically, Will Sommers and Anne Boleyn didn’t get along at all. Therefore, the show’s presentation of him making barbed comments about Henry’s mistreatment of her is interesting.

In the nursery, Mary promises Lady Bryan baby Edward will always know Jane through her and others. It’s established Lady Bryan will be in charge of the baby’s care and managing his household. The gossip of Mary’s potential marriage is brought up, but Mary is currently planning to take Elizabeth with her to the countryside. Lady Bryan warns her Elizabeth isn’t quiet, but Mary doesn’t care. Aw.

Mary asks about Francis, and I admit I didn’t make the connection between him and Lady Bryan until now. It turns out he’s her son.

Francis is still on his mission, and Lady Bryan hasn’t heard from him.

Speaking of, in Italy, Francis and Tom are enjoying the company of several women when two men come in. Dismissing the women, one of them demands to see their papers.

They give some of the papers, but Francis refuses to give a letter over until they see Pole. The man refuses. In response, Tom quickly shuts and bolts the door before grabbing one man as Francis grabs the other. Threatening to kill the man if Pole isn’t given up, Francis brings up the fact he has diplomatic immunity.

I can understand immunity for certain things, but I’ve never thought diplomats, ambassadors, and their family and staff should have it when it comes to things such as rape and murder.

Meanwhile, Will looks at tons of sketches Henry’s done. Henry expounds on his plans to build a castle. Will says the imaginary castle will be filled with imaginary people; then, he says that he, Henry, and the whole court are imaginary, just the product of the dream.

Will is later acknowledged by Cromwell. He’s not a figment of Henry’s mind. However, I’m not sure if there isn’t something otherworldly being implied about him.

After all, The Tudors is a television show, and it has actors playing characters. Most of the characters are based on historical people, but they’re still fictional. Their characterisation and certain elements of the world they inhabit have been dreamed up by people in real life.

Henry tearfully insists it’s all he has.

“Dream on,” Will responds before leaving.

At an inn, Pole shows his fear of assassination.

It turns out he’s right to. Francis and Tom invade his room. However, all they find is an open window.

Over at the Brandon household, Charles Brandon kneels down to touch CB’s pregnant belly. She’s blunt about her desire to have a miscarriage, and he doesn’t know what to say or do to fix things.

There isn’t anything. Her being horrified at being married to a man who’s killed children and admitted he’d kill his own under certain circumstances isn’t going to away, or at least, it shouldn’t. It’s not the sort of thing most people could bring themselves to live with.

Meanwhile, Henry babbles more about his castle as he and Will play cards. He declares it will be greater than any other palace in the world. Will’s response is, like everything, it will eventually crumble. Henry insists its memory and the memory of him will always exist. Will opines the only things to exist are what’s in people’s heads, and then, he references Anne with a line about fine heads flying.

Elsewhere, a young boy employed by the Seymour household is killed in an ambush.

The next scene has Cromwell talking to a sergeant over the boy’s body. Pointing out it’s illegal for people to be armed at court when Henry is taking residence, Cromwell shows his annoyance at the fact his friend’s murderer hasn’t been found. He orders the sergeant to not let any more murders happen at court.

Outside the nursery, a guard is reading a paper Francis gave him. He declares Lady Bryan has permission to take Francis inside. Motioning for her to go first, Francis addresses her as, “Mamma.” Aw.

Inside, people are scrubbing the walls. It’s established Henry’s given orders for everything to be washed with soap three times a day.

This might cause problems for baby Edward’s immune system in the future.

Then, she explains all the other precautions Henry is implementing to try to protect the baby and keep him healthy.

“He must be the cleanest baby in England,” Francis comments.

Appearing, Edward isn’t happy to see Francis near his nephew’s bassinet. After the others leave, he tells Francis to leave both his nephew and wife alone.

Meanwhile, Rich and Cromwell talk about Henry’s renovations of his palaces Rich has released the funds for. Cromwell brings up the fantasy palace, and Rich quite reasonably protests pouring money into it. He shows further incredulity when told Henry is only talking to Will.

Sighing, Cromwell expresses his wish Henry would come out due to how bad things are getting without his presence.

In the next scene, Henry and Will are getting drunk. Henry brings up the need to decide on the articles of faith. There’s bawdiness and laughter until Henry tearfully confesses he misses Jane. Stroking his head, Will gives him comforting words.

This scene does a good job of showing his talent at knowing when to apply levity, when to give sympathy, and when to call people out.

Elsewhere, running in, a guard informs the sergeant from earlier that there’s a fight. They rush out to try to break up said fight, and the guard’s non-fatally stabbed.

Next, Cromwell leads men through the hallways. He sends them out to try to stop the fight. The sergeant is fatally stabbed.

In a council session, people are arguing over who’s in charge. Charles Brandon is angry Edward is refusing to let him see baby Edward. Cromwell enters, and everyone but Charles Brandon and another man sit down. Cromwell begs for order, and the unnamed man asks by what right Cromwell has summoned the council.

Well, he obviously thought Cromwell might have some right, or he wouldn’t have turned up.

Cromwell answers his title gives him the right to act when Henry’s out of commission. He tries to talk about the fighting, and Charles Brandon accuses him of his servants being a part of the violence. Denying it, Cromwell makes a jibe about Charles Brandon’s own conscience.

Then, again misreading Charles Brandon, he implies Charles Brandon is using Henry’s incapacitation to try to gain power.

Once proud of being a new man, Charles Brandon here insults Cromwell’s low birth. He flat-out declares, until Henry reappears, he’s not taking orders from Cromwell. Everyone but Rich walks out, and he worriedly asks if Cromwell has any news of Henry.

It turns out he’s rewriting the Lord’s Prayer and the 10 Commandments.

“What?”

“Exactly,” Cromwell heavily answers.

Later, Edward and Anne have an awkward dinner. He’s not happy with her affair, and she’s not happy being married to such a practical, passionless man. She makes it clear she’s not going to be faithful to him so long as he refuses to fulfil her emotional needs.

If the show hadn’t made Edward a rapist, I’d feel pity for him. Max Brown seems to play him as someone who does care about, and perhaps, even loves his wife. He wants a happy marriage, but he has no idea how to make her happy. Whenever he tries, it’s either not enough or makes things worse. Therefore, he often doesn’t even bother.

Elsewhere, Will wakes Cromwell up to tell him Henry wants to see him.

Next, Cromwell talks to Henry about a letter from the French king congratulating Henry on his son. Ordering Cromwell to fetch Gardiner, Henry asks about baby Edward’s health and safety. Tentatively bringing up the subject of remarriage, Cromwell tactfully points out Henry could use a spare.

Henry asks about possible candidates.

If it were any other king but Henry, I’d probably be a little less judgemental. The stability of the kingdom sometimes means the monarch’s happiness and psychological well-being can’t always be a priority. And when it comes to anyone, be they royalty or everyday people, I think it’s good for divorcees and widow/ers, after they’ve had time to heal as best they can, to see if maybe there’s someone else out they could build a life with. I have nothing against remarriage.

However, Henry is throwing the court in jeopardy over his supposed grief, and yet, less than a full year after his wife’s death, he’s already agreeing to plans of remarriage and having more children rather than spending time consoling his grieving daughter, bonding with his new baby, and just being a father to his other daughter.

In a field, Eustace and Mary discuss Henry. When he brings up Henry remarrying, she asks about her own possible marriage, and he has literally no news. He promises her, if it doesn’t work out with Don Louie, an even better man will be found for her.

Meanwhile, in the gardens, Ursula is walking with Henry and Francis.

Surprisingly, as much as the show loves awkwardness, this scene isn’t awkward.

Henry asks Ursula where she’ll go since Jane’s household has been broken up. She plans to go live with her mother, and when asked about her fiancé, it’s revealed he isn’t her fiancé anymore. Francis declares him a fool. Henry offers to give her ex-fiancé a peerage and one of the dissolved abbeys if he agrees to marry Ursula, but Ursula awesomely answers, “Majesty, I would think less of him if he needed to accept such gifts in order to love me.”

Impressed with the answer, Henry commands her to leave with his love and blessing but to stay one more night.

Leaving her, Henry and Francis discuss Pole escaping back to Italy. Henry swears he’ll find a way to make Pole eat his (Pole’s) heart.

In Italy, Pole and his cardinal mentor play chess. Pole shows a letter where his brother condemns him. Burning the letter, the cardinal says Cromwell made his brother write it.

Back in England, Henry gives Gardiner a list of questions to base the new faith on. There’s also a line about Gardiner not bothering to get Cranmer.

During a meeting to discuss the new articles, most of which are Catholic, there’s intercutting scenes.

Pole prays.

Henry has sex with Ursula.

Pole gives communion to people.

The meeting comes near an end, and both Henry and Charles Brandon recognise Cromwell’s quiet discomfort. Charles Brandon praises the new articles, and Henry declares the Lord’s Prayer will include, “For thine is the kingdom, the power, and glory.”

There’s an out-of-place shot of two people naked in bed together.

Later, Cromwell and Rich discuss the articles. Rich expresses sympathy and horror over the fact Cranmer will have to send his wife and son back to Germany or face charges of treason. He wants to know why Henry is doing this, and Cromwell hits it dead on when he answers, “Because, in his heart, he’s always been a true Catholic. Except, in this one thing: That he would have neither pope nor Luther nor any other man set above him.”

The episode ends on an eerie note with a crowned Will laughing on the throne.

Fin.


End file.
